Cigarette lighter



Aug. 12, 1941. ZAKEN 2,252,676

CIGARETTE LIGHTER Filed Aug. 5, 194() INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYA Patented Aug. 12, 1941 CIGARETTE LIGHTER Lester Zaken, Brooklyn, N. Y., assigner to Martha P. Condon, New York, N. Y.

Application August 5, 1940, Serial No. 351,542

4 Claims.

Thisinvention relates to devices for igniting cigars, cigarettes, etc., etc., and is filed as a substitute for my abandoned application, filed October 29, 1936, Serial No. 108,139.

An object of the invention is in the construction of a lighter characterized by a tubular casing having an open top and open side portions, a cover to close the top, the cover being hingedly mounted near one end on the casing, and an actuator extending along the open side hingedly mounted near its bottom and associated with the cover in a manner to raise the cover upon being pressed inwardly and to lower the cover when moved outwardly.

A further feature is in the provision of an abradant wheel arranged coaxially with respect to the cover and mounted to move along with the cover when the cover opens.

Another purpose is to provide means for normally urging the actuator into an outward position so that the cover is normally pressed into its closed position.

Further aims are provided in means for mounting and operating the abradant wheel that it may not rotate when the cover is moved to its closed position and thus prevent the production of sparks during such period; also to provide a wick lighting means within the casing adapted to `be ignited by sparks from the action of the abradant wheel and pyrophorio material contained in a compartment within the casing.

These and analogous objects are accomplished by the novel and practical construction, combination and. arrangement of parts hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, constituting a material component of this disclosure, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional View looking downward approximately on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing the cover raised and the interior parts in side elevation. Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional View taken on line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Figure '7 is a similar sectional view taken on line 1--1 of Figure 2.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the cover in detail, looking from its under side.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the bracket carried in the cover, in a reversed position.

Figure 10 is a perspective view, of the abradant wheel.

Figure 11 is a similar view of the wheel bearing.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line I2-I2 of Figure 1, drawn to an enlarged scale.

vFigure 13 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line vI3I3 of Figure 12.

Figure 14 is a perspective view of the actuator in detail.

Referring in greaterv detail to the drawing, the device comprises a tubular casing I5 having an open top I6, an open side I'l and an open bottom I8.

A cover t3 is provided for closing the open top, the cover being hingedly engaged by a pivot pin 20, near one of its ends to the casing l5.

An actuator 2I extends along the open side I1 of the casing and is hingedly mounted near its bottom on a pivot pin 22, set in the casing; the actuator is associated with the cover I9 in such manner as to raise the cover when pressed inwardly and to lower the same when moved outwardly.

A bent ilat spring 23 is arranged to urge the actuator normally outward.

An abradant wheel 24 is rotatably mounted onl the pin 20, within the casing and is movable with the cover I9 when the cover is raised to its open position.

A pyrophoric alloy, or flint plug 25, is slidably mounted in a tube 26 within the casing and pressed against the wheel by a spring 21 enclosed in the tube and is adjusted by a screw 28 threaded into the lower end of the tube, which is supported at its upper end by a bracket 29 set in the casing walls.

A wick 3|! is contained in an upright receptacle 3| of rectangular cross section, that is loosely iilled with absorbent material 32 and any preerred burning huid.

The lower portion of the receptacle is frictionally and telescopically held in a container 33, having an enlarged base flange 34, the container being maintained in position at one side of the` casing by inreaching grooves 35; the container 2 plate is a tubular snuii'er 42 adapted, when the cover is closed, to cover the extending end of the wick 30 and seat on the upper surface of the container 32, thereby preventing entrance of air and extinguish the flame of the wick.

Attached to one of the sidewalls 4I, is a flat bar 44, its opposite end 45 shaped circularly and provided with a central opening 46 having a slit 41 b'y which it maybe passed over vthe pin 20 and arranged alongside the wheel 24.

Rotatably mounted on the pin 20 is a sleeve 46 having at one end an integral collar 49, and journalled on the sleeve is the abradant wheel 24.

The peripheral'surface of wheel is provided with short longitudinal teeth 50, adapted tol engage. the spring pressed sparking material 25 as the wheel is rotated. The front side face of the wheel is formed to produce ratchet shaped teeth -5l by which it is rotated by the actuatorf2l.

which will now be described in detail.

The actuator 2l consists of a fiat lplate having parallel inturned sidewalls 52 terminating in nodes 53 perforated to turn on the pivot pin 22, v

I between which are recesses 62 and contain perforations 63 to permit rotation on the pivot pin 20.

By referring to Figures 2 and 3 it will be seen that the recesses 56 of the actuator are iitted to receive the projections 60-6I of the cover side walls, and that the forks 54-55 contact the outer edges of the projections 60-6I in the manner of gear teeth so as to raise the cover I3 when the actuator is pressed inwardly, as clearly shown in Figure 3. Y

Conversely, when pressure on the actuator is released, the spring 23 operates to press the actuator outwardly and thereby cause the cover vto close.

Itis also to be noted that the snufter arm 44 ,is integral with the lsplit spring washer 45, and

the outturned tooth 64, adjacent the slit 41, engages the ratchet teeth 5| of the abradant wheel 50, so that as the cover is closed the spring tooth 64 passes over the ratchet teeth, but upon opening the-cover rapidly the tooth 64 operatively engages the ratchet teeth 5I, transmitting an in stant, fast, semi-rotative movement, suiiicient to produce sparks from the pyrophoric substance 25, the sparks flashing across the casing to cause ignition of the wick 3U.

Although the foregoing is descriptive of the best known embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that such changes and modiiica# tions may be made as come within the scope and spirit of the claims hereto appended. Having thus described the invention and set forth the manner of its construction and application, what is claimed as new and sought to se- -cure by Letters Patent, is:

l. In a pyrophoric lighter comprising a body having a hollow cover pivotally mounted at one lend adapted to be opened and closed, an abradant lwheel coaxially mounted' with said cover and jadapted to contact pyrophoric material to cause a spark'when said cover is opening, `a bracket in lthe hollow of said cover held therein by a turned over end of said cover and in frictionall contact with its side portions, one of said side portions being formed with slots dividing off a strip portion. teeth formed on one side of said Wheel, and a pawl arranged coaxially with said cover having an arm engaged beneath said strip portion to turn along with the cover and having its other nd operative with saidteeth to turn said wheel when said cover is opening and to idle over said teeth when the cover is closing so that said wheel maintains a stationary position. c

2. In a pyrophoric lighter, a body having an opening in its bottom, an abradant wheel rotatively mounted in the top of said body above said opening, a transverse bracket set in said body below said wheel, a dome-shaped portion formed on said bracket intermediate of its ends extending toward said wheel and having a central opening, a tubular member engaging said body through the opening therein and having one of its' ends engaging into the dome-shaped por- -tion ofsaid bracket to hold saidtubular'member .in position in said body; and. sparking material .resiliently mounted in one end of said tubular member and extendingvthrough the opening in said 4dome-shaped, portion to contact said wheel thereby to produce a spark when said wheel is rotated. f l

3. In a pyropiioric lighter having a body, a cover pivotally mounted at onevv end of said body adapted to 'be opened and closed, an abradant wheel coaxially mounted with said cover to contact material adapted to cause a spark when said cover is opened, va bracket in the hollow of said cover held in position by a turned over end of said cover, said bracket friction-ally engaging the inside qfsaid q over one of said side portions ,being formed 'with 'slots defining a strip portion,

'and having.an opening at its center, and a slot Aformed thereinbetween said opening and the outeredge of said circular portion forming'a ,spring cam adapted to engage said teeth.

4.'v `In a Epyrophoric lighter, a bodyhaving an opening in itsfbottom, an, abradant wheel ro- Vtatively mounted in the top of saidcasing above vsaid opening, a ctransverse bracket mounted in said body belowsaid wheel, a dome-shaped portion formed on said bracket intermediate of its ends and' extending toward. said wheel and having a centrally .disposed opening, l'a tubular body engaged into said body through said rst mentioned opening and .having one of its ends engaging into the dome-shaped portion 0f said 'bracket to hold said tubular" body in position in said,body, sparkingmaterial resiliently mounted f fin one end of said tubular body and extending through the opening in said dome-shaped portion adapted to engage said wheel to produce a spark when said wheel is rotated, said resilient mounting comprising a spring in said tubular body to engage said material, and a screw in the other end pf, said tubular body to control the tension with which said spring urges said material against said wheel. i

LESTER ZAKEN. 

